Commercial transactions conducted through electronic communication (e.g., via the World Wide Web (the Web or the internet)), commonly known as “e-commerce,” have become a significant segment of the global economy. In a typical e-commerce transaction, a user may access the internet by way of a communications device (e.g., a desktop or laptop computer, a smart phone, tablet or other internet enabled device) and accesses a retailer's or service provider's e-commerce website via the internet. Once the desired e-commerce website is located, the user may search the website for the desired good or service, either by conducting a search of the website or by paging through the website content such as by using menus or links provided on the website. The user may then add the desired product or service to a virtual “shopping cart” through selection of a graphical “button” or a link associated with a graphical or textual description of the good or service. The virtual shopping cart retains a listing of the user's intended purchases and the customer can continue “shopping” by exploring the website further and visiting other product pages.
After the user indicates that all intended purchases have been added to the virtual shopping cart, the e-commerce website presents a form to the user for the user to fill enter personal and payment information (e.g., name, address and credit card information). Once the payment information is approved, the website presents confirmation to the user that the transaction has been completed and may provide additional information regarding a delivery schedule or methodology.
E-commerce has been a benefit to new companies as well as to traditional “brick and mortar” companies. Virtually all companies have invested in some form of online presence. In some instances, they have established their own system for conducting e-commerce. In other instances, companies have offered their goods or services through a third party e-commerce system. Many companies do both.
Various systems and approaches have been implemented in an effort to make e-commerce more user friendly and more inviting on the one hand, and more profitable and manageable on the other hand. Continual efforts are being made to improve the e-commerce experience including efforts to provide systems and methods that make the experience more effective and more profitable for those offering goods and services for sale.